Stepania played last season for the Miami Heat, averaging 5.6 points and seven rebounds.

The 7-foot-1 center was a first-round draft pick, 27th overall, by the Seattle Supersonics in the 1998 draft. He also has played for the New Jersey Nets.

The Blazers are expected to start 6-foot-11 veteran Dale Davis at center. The team also has 7-foot Ruben Boumtje Boumtje on its roster.

Stepania was expected to join the Blazers in time for their opener at Utah on Oct. 29, the team said.

Salary terms of his deal were not released.

Evilmav2

10-23-2003, 09:16 AM

Good, good, good. Entirely too many Mavs fans wanted us to sign this sub-par, journeyman of a foreigner. Size and rebounding may have been adequete strenths of Vlad, but this man's complete lack of any offensive ability will probably bury him behind Boumtje-Boumjte in the competition for PT on the Blazers. For the Mavs, signing Vlad as some kind of bizarre solution to our "center problem" would probably have been a ridiculous joke of a failure. Good luck Step in Portland; and I am damned glad that you weren't brought to Dallas as some kind of pathetic answer to our imaginary big man problems...